few seniors who remembered when the building had
been afire, remembered Doctor Weldon had acted just so. Waiting until
Marshall left the dining-hall, she rang the bell. The buzz of voices
ceased.

"Take your plates and go up to the parlor on the second floor. You may
be dismissed in order. Miss Burkham's table first."

Miss Burkham arose and led the way. She was quite as collected as Doctor
Weldon, although, she, too, had seen the water marks which were
appearing on the floor from the water in the basement below.

"It is like a picnic. Think of eating bacon and stale bread in a parlor,
done up in pale-green and silver. I know it will taste better." It was
Erma who was talking. Her voice rang over all like a silver bell, as
with merry laugh and light spirits she lead the way to the floor above.

The door leading from the main hall on to the porch was closed, but a
little stream had forced itself in and was trickling over the floor.
The men-servants were rolling up the rug, preparatory to carrying it to
the floor above and the women-servants were pinning up window draperies
and hangings to save them from possible contact with the water.

Doctor Weldon, calm and serene, as though a flood were an everyday
occurrence and not at all alarming, went about the building instructing
the servants and teachers in regard to saving what they could of the
property on the ground floor.

Hester, Helen, Erma, and their friends stood on the landing of the
stairway and watched the men work. The girls had forgotten that they
were hungry. Their plates were poised in the air and the bits of bacon
and stale bread were untouched.

Renee came to the head of the stairway and leaning over the balustrade,
looked down on the outstretched plates. "Haven't you girls touched a
bite?" she asked. "I am glad I found you. I wish you'd lend me your
piece of bacon."

The girls, thus addressed, saw nothing humorous in the request. Erma
was about to hand over her portion when a laugh from the hall above
caused her to pause. Emma, Edna, and Louise were laughing and ridiculing
Renee, who turned about and went off in bad humor, explaining as she did
so that she wanted a piece for Mame Cross who had been complaining that
she had not been treated as other girls when it came to the distribution
of bacon.

The men tossed the rugs upon the first landing of the stairway and went
to the assistance of Marshall, who came in with tables and chairs from
the kitch